How I Built a Game Bot That Uses LLM Vision for $0.01/Hour (Not $1/Hour)

The article presents a 5-layer hybrid architecture for LLM-based game automation that reduces API costs from ~$1.20/hour to ~$0.01/hour. By handling 98% of decisions locally—through pixel-based screen detection, a finite state machine, a predictive world model, and scripted workflows—the bot reserves expensive LLM calls (Claude Sonnet) for strategic reviews every 30 minutes at ~$0.004 each.